Courage Bowl date at St. John Fisher highlights 2013 AU football schedule
3/13/13

ALFRED, NY — Alfred University announces its 2013 schedule, which includes six home games and is highlighted by a regular season-ending matchup at St. John Fisher in the ninth annual Courage Bowl.

The Courage Bowl benefits Camp Good Days and Special Times. It has been contested eight times prior to this season, and had always pitted St. John Fisher and the University of Rochester. Last year’s Courage Bowl was the last between those two teams. Fisher will host Alfred, its Empire 8 Conference rival, in Courage Bowl IX on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. Future Courage Bowl games will feature Fisher against Brockport State, which joins the Empire 8 Conference in 2014.

Proceeds from the Courage Bowl will benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times, a Rochester-based non-profit organization that is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and families touched by cancer and other life-threatening challenges. Founded in 1979 by Gary Mervis following the diagnosis of his daughter, Teddi, with a malignant brain tumor, Camp Good Days today provides residential camping programs and year-round recreational and support activities and events. Since its founding, Camp Good Days has served more than 43,000 campers from 22 states and 28 foreign countries.

“Alfred University is honored to be a part of Courage Bowl IX and to be a part of the tremendous impact that this game and Camp Good Days and Special Times has had on the lives of so many children,” said Alfred University’s Director of Athletics, Paul Vecchio. “We know that the true winners of this game are not only the many Western New York families positively influenced by Courage Bowl IX, but also all of the student-athletes that get to be a part of giving back to such a wonderful organization. I know that the AU football program will have an incredible experience through our participation and want to thank the Mervis Family and AU alumnus Greg Connors for coordinating and offering us this special opportunity.”

As has been done with all previous Courage Bowl games, Camp Good Days will select six boys, all of whom are campers in Camp Good Days’ programs and are dealing with cancer, to serve as Honorary Coaches, three with each team. The Honorary Coaches meet their team; will be in the locker room with their team; lead their team on to the field; be at midfield for the coin toss; and coach from the sidelines during the game.

Camp Good Days will also select four girls, also campers who are dealing with cancer, to serve as Honorary Cheerleaders. The Honorary Cheerleaders will meet the squad for pre-game preparation on game-day, and cheer with the squad during the game.

The Honorary Coaches and Honorary Cheerleaders will be announced and introduced at the Courage Bowl Community Luncheon, to be held the week of the game, on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, on the campus of St. John Fisher College, hosted by Dr. Donald E. Bain, college president.

Courage Bowl IX will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, and will be carried live on SportsRadio 950 ESPN and WLEA-AM 1480 in Hornell.

In preparation for Courage Bowl IX, both teams will visit the Camp Good Days’ Recreational Facility, located on the shores of Keuka Lake in Branchport, New York, in August, so that they can see firsthand what Camp Good Days is all about and will have a better understanding of what the Courage Bowl game truly means.

At the conclusion of the Courage Bowl, the Teddi Trophy, named in memory of Teddi Mervis, Gary Mervis’ daughter and the inspiration behind Camp Good Days, will be presented, which will later be inscribed with the date of the game, final score of the game, names of the six Honorary Coaches and the names of one player from each team who displays exceptional leadership and sportsmanship.

The Courage Bowl will wrap up a 10-game regular season for AU. Three of the team’s first four games are at home. The Saxons open the season Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. at home against RPI, then entertain Montclair State at 1 p.m. on Sept. 21. After a non-league game at Brockport at 6 p.m. Sept. 28, the Saxons play seven Empire 8 Conference games to close the season.

AU opens its Empire 8 slate with a 1 p.m. Homecoming game against visiting Buffalo State on Oct. 5. The Saxons travel to Ithaca for a 1 p.m. game Oct. 12, then host Hartwick the following Saturday (Oct. 19) at 1 p.m. AU plays at Frostburg State at 1 p.m. Oct. 26, then play two home games – against Salisbury Nov. 2 and Utica Nov. 9, both at 1 p.m. – before closing with the Courage Bowl at Fisher.

Alfred went 6-4 last season, placing second in the Empire 8 standings with a 5-2 record.